OPT Technical Director Jobs
Technical Director jobs on OPT are available across film, gaming, software, and engineering industries. Most roles require STEM OPT eligibility, giving you a 24-month extension beyond your initial 12 months. Employers in this space regularly sponsor H-1B visas, making this a strong long-term career path in the U.S.
Find OPT Technical Director JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 111+ Technical Director jobs
See all 111+ Technical Director Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Technical Director roles.
Get Access To All JobsBOSTON COLLEGE INTRODUCTION
Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university located six miles from downtown Boston with an enrollment of 9,654 full-time undergraduates and 5,072 graduate and professional students. Ranked 37 among national universities, Boston College has 923 full-time and 1,336 FTE faculty, 2,822 non-faculty employees, an operating budget of $1.4 billion, and an endowment in excess of $3.9 billion.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Department: 053601 - Theatre
Position: 00011297 - Producing Technical Director
Employment Type: On-site | Full-Time (35 hours per week) | Exempt
Hiring Range: $74,450 to $93,050; salary commensurate with relevant experience.
Boston College seeks a full time Producing Technical Director for the Theater Department and the department’s production wing. Reporting to the Chair of the Theatre Department, the Producing Technical Director will manage production budgets; supervise and participate in building and rigging; supervise professional staff and student workers; schedule all rehearsals, productions, and production meetings; and instruct and mentor students.
REQUIREMENTS
The successful candidate will have a MA or MFA in Technical Direction or equivalent experience in a professional or academic setting; must have demonstrated experience teaching and working in a college/university theatre program. They must also have a working knowledge of theatre production, including but not limited to scene construction, stage rigging, stage management, stage carpentry, theatrical lighting, props, costume construction, sound, and projections. Knowledge of, and experience with, Actors Equity rules. Must possess experience in production management. Additionally, the Producing Technical Director must possess excellent computer and interpersonal communication skills.
Knowledge of state and federal regulations with regard to safety and fire codes is a plus.
Evening and weekend work is required.
CLOSING STATEMENT
Boston College offers a broad and competitive range of benefits depending on your job classification eligibility:
- Tuition remission for Employees
- Tuition remission for Spouses and Children who meet eligibility requirements
- Generous Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Low-Cost Life Insurance
- Eligibility for both University-Funded 401k and Employer-Sponsored 403b Retirement Plans
- Paid Holidays Annually
- Generous Sick and Vacation Pay
- Additional benefits can be found on https://www.bc.edu/employeehandbook
Boston College conducts pre-employment background checks as part of the hiring process.
Boston College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected category, including disability and protected veteran status. Boston College's Notice of Nondiscrimination can be viewed at https://www.bc.edu/nondiscrimination.
BOSTON COLLEGE INTRODUCTION
Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university located six miles from downtown Boston with an enrollment of 9,654 full-time undergraduates and 5,072 graduate and professional students. Ranked 37 among national universities, Boston College has 923 full-time and 1,336 FTE faculty, 2,822 non-faculty employees, an operating budget of $1.4 billion, and an endowment in excess of $3.9 billion.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Department: 053601 - Theatre
Position: 00011297 - Producing Technical Director
Employment Type: On-site | Full-Time (35 hours per week) | Exempt
Hiring Range: $74,450 to $93,050; salary commensurate with relevant experience.
Boston College seeks a full time Producing Technical Director for the Theater Department and the department’s production wing. Reporting to the Chair of the Theatre Department, the Producing Technical Director will manage production budgets; supervise and participate in building and rigging; supervise professional staff and student workers; schedule all rehearsals, productions, and production meetings; and instruct and mentor students.
REQUIREMENTS
The successful candidate will have a MA or MFA in Technical Direction or equivalent experience in a professional or academic setting; must have demonstrated experience teaching and working in a college/university theatre program. They must also have a working knowledge of theatre production, including but not limited to scene construction, stage rigging, stage management, stage carpentry, theatrical lighting, props, costume construction, sound, and projections. Knowledge of, and experience with, Actors Equity rules. Must possess experience in production management. Additionally, the Producing Technical Director must possess excellent computer and interpersonal communication skills.
Knowledge of state and federal regulations with regard to safety and fire codes is a plus.
Evening and weekend work is required.
CLOSING STATEMENT
Boston College offers a broad and competitive range of benefits depending on your job classification eligibility:
- Tuition remission for Employees
- Tuition remission for Spouses and Children who meet eligibility requirements
- Generous Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Low-Cost Life Insurance
- Eligibility for both University-Funded 401k and Employer-Sponsored 403b Retirement Plans
- Paid Holidays Annually
- Generous Sick and Vacation Pay
- Additional benefits can be found on https://www.bc.edu/employeehandbook
Boston College conducts pre-employment background checks as part of the hiring process.
Boston College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected category, including disability and protected veteran status. Boston College's Notice of Nondiscrimination can be viewed at https://www.bc.edu/nondiscrimination.
See all 111+ OPT Technical Director Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Technical Director Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Technical Director
Target STEM-designated programs
Technical Director roles typically fall under STEM OPT when your degree is in computer science, engineering, or a related field. Confirm your program's CIP code with your DSO before applying to maximize your authorized work period.
Prioritize employers with H-1B history
Look for companies that consistently file H-1B petitions for technical leadership roles. Studios, tech firms, and engineering consultancies with established immigration programs are far more likely to sponsor you after your OPT period ends.
Frame your portfolio around technical ownership
Hiring managers for Technical Director roles want to see systems you built and teams you led. Quantify your impact with specifics: pipeline tools created, performance improvements achieved, or cross-functional projects you drove from start to completion.
Address OPT timing early in conversations
Bring up your authorization timeline during the second or third interview round, not at offer stage. Employers need time to assess whether they can accommodate your OPT end date and plan any subsequent visa sponsorship accordingly.
Distinguish yourself from senior engineers
Technical Director is a leadership title. Emphasize your ability to set technical direction, mentor engineers, and align engineering decisions with business goals. This positioning also signals higher value to employers considering long-term sponsorship investment.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsorship-ready employers
Migrate Mate surfaces Technical Director openings at employers who actively sponsor F-1 OPT candidates. Filtering by visa sponsorship availability upfront saves significant time and targets applications where you have the strongest chance of long-term authorization.
Technical Director OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Technical Director on F-1 OPT?
Yes. If your degree is in a qualifying STEM field such as computer science, engineering, or information systems, you can work as a Technical Director on OPT for up to 36 months total: 12 months of standard OPT plus a 24-month STEM extension. Your job duties must be directly related to your degree field to remain compliant with OPT authorization requirements.
Does a Technical Director role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not just the job title. If you hold a STEM-designated degree and the Technical Director role involves work directly related to that field, such as leading engineering systems, software architecture, or technical infrastructure, it qualifies. Your employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify and sign a formal training plan with your school before the extension is approved.
Do Technical Director employers typically sponsor H-1B visas?
Many do, particularly in gaming studios, visual effects companies, software firms, and engineering consultancies. Technical Director is a senior role that companies invest in retaining, which makes sponsorship more likely than for junior positions. Searching on Migrate Mate lets you filter for employers with active OPT sponsorship, helping you identify which companies are genuinely open to sponsoring technical leadership hires.
What happens to my OPT authorization if I change employers as a Technical Director?
You can change employers on OPT, but you must report the change to your DSO within 10 days and update your SEVIS record. Your new role still needs to be directly related to your degree. If you are on a STEM extension, your new employer must also be E-Verify enrolled and co-sign a revised training plan before you begin work at the new company.
What degree fields support OPT authorization for Technical Director roles?
Computer science, electrical engineering, software engineering, computer engineering, information technology, and digital media engineering are the most common qualifying fields. Degrees in production technology or interactive media may qualify depending on CIP code designation. Visual arts or film production degrees without a STEM designation typically support only 12 months of OPT, which is an important factor when evaluating long-term career planning in this role.